CA Arts & Culture Summit: Sold out!

Join us for an enriching experience featuring insightful conversations and workshops aimed at exploring initiatives that profoundly impact and shape the lives of all who work in the arts and all that is possible when we center art, creativity, imagination, and inspiration as integral to society.

We are pleased to announce that the 2024 CA Arts & Culture Summit has officially SOLD OUT and we are no longer able to accommodate any waitlist requests. Thank you for your support!

*All sales are final, there are no refunds of registration fees after payment.

About CA Arts & Culture Summit 2024

This year, the summit's theme is "Art Work is Real Work." Artists play an essential role in our economy and our health with critical contributions across a variety of social impact areas but often are without the services and conditions they need to thrive due to the ongoing undervaluing of their work. Summit panel discussions will cover diverse topics from leading voices in the field, including arts & health, economic justice, climate change, artists on artist’s work, youth engagement, affordable housing/work space, cultural equity, civic engagement, public art, and more with an emphasis on the public policies and advocacy needed to support the creative industries and workforce.

Nataki Garrett will set the tone as our keynote speaker. Nataki is the CEO and Executive Director of The Ladder Approach, an executive coaching organization, and co-artistic Director of One Nation/One Project, spearheading the national arts and health initiative Arts for EveryBody.

Get your tickets while they last! The CA Arts & Culture Summit is a great opportunity to build leadership skills, network with industry change-makers and funders, and be exposed to vital skill sets and frameworks needed to build a strong case for creativity in your community.

View Program Schedule

Panel One:  Arts and Health

Moderator:  Deborah Cullinan, Vice President for the Arts, Stanford University

Panelists: Tasha Golden, Ph.D., Director of Research at the International Arts + Mind Lab at John’s Hopkins University; Chris Appleton, Founder & CEO of Arts Pharmacy; Indre Viskontas, Ph.D., Cognitive Neuroscientist, Science Communicator & Opera Stage Director

Panel Two: Economic Justice + Community Power Building

Moderator: Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer

Panelists: Roshaun Davis, Executive Director of CLTRE and CoFounder of Unseen Heroes; Heather Heslup, Director of Public Art Programs at Destination Crenshaw; Arianna Chavez, Executive Director at Arte Americas; Nikko Kimzin, CEO + Lead Consultant, Kimzin Creative

Panel 3: Policy Wins, Updates & Visions for the Future! Pecha Kucha

Facilitator: Jennifer Laine
Presenters: California Arts Council; Arts in the Parks; City of San Diego & SDRACC; Measure P, Fresno; Creative Corps/Kern Dance Alliance; Atrium 916

Creative Conditions

Moderator: Nurit Siegel Smith, Executive Director, Music Forward Foundation
Panelists: Nicole Hendrix, Co-Founder, BRIC Foundation & Concept Art Association; Tiara Amar, Director, Advocacy & Fellows, Whippoorwill Arts; Jamie Hand, Director of Strategic Impact and Narrative Change, Creatives Rebuild New York; Marcus Mitchell, Public Art Administrator, City of West Hollywood representing CA Public Art Administrators (CAPAA)

Arts & Youth Engagement

Moderator:  Penelope Oliver, All Access Arts Executive Director & Founder
Panelists: Can Foster, Youth Program Director of Sol Collective; Clarity Cooper, Sol Collective; Josiah Bruny, CEO, Music Changing Live; Desiree Stevens, Music Changing Lives; Jaya King, Visual Artist & Muralist

Arts and Housing/Work Space

Moderator: Megan Van Voorhis, Director of Convention & Cultural Services Department, City of Sacramento
Panelists: Sharmi Basu, Executive Director of Vital Arts; Ken Ikeda, CEO of CAST; Keith Mcnutt, Director of the Western Region of the Entertainment Community Fund

Artists on Artist’s Work

Moderator: Sean Fenton, Executive Director, Theatre Bay Area
Panelists: Sam Bempong, CEO, Mindful Media / Co-Lead Organizer, East Bay Film Collective; Venecia Prudencio, Working Artist, San Benito Arts Council; Christina Simpson, Violist / Fire Practitioner, Hayfork Watershed Center; Silvi Alcivar, poet/artist self/fire+music project/thepoetry store, Hayfork Watershed Center; M Eilo, Creative Director, BlinkPopShift

Workshops

Arts on Prescription: A Workshop to Move You from Idea to Action

Presenter: Tasha Golden, Ph.D., Director of Research at the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University

Advocating for Equitable Arts Education with Prop 28, the Arts and Music in Schools Act

Presenters: Abe Flores, Deputy Director of Policy & Programs, Create CA; Jesus Holguin, Moreno Valley USD & Create CA Board member; Letty Kraus, Director, Statewide Arts Initiative, California County Superintendents; Jessica Mele, Interim Executive Director, Create CA; Adelaide Kuehn, Program Director, Create CA

The Power of Posters & Civic Engagement 

Presenters: Lena Wolff, Interdisciplinary Visual Artist, Craftswoman and Activist; Miriam Klein Stahl, Artist, Educator and Activist

Casemaking for Collaboration - Building Better Bridges in the Arts Economy

Presenters: Tracy Hudak, Director of Field Engagement, CA for the Arts; Jackie Melendez, Assistant City Manager of City of Chino

Who should attend?

The Summit will bring together arts advocates, cultural policy thought leaders, public and private arts funders, artists, creatives, educators, culture bearers, arts administrators,  teaching artists, students, public officials, and creative industry representatives from across the state.

Hotel Info

CA Arts & Culture Summit
Kickoff Mixer
Monday, April 15, 2024

Harlow's
2708 J St
Sacramento, CA 95816
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Join us for a no-host mixer at Harlow’s, Sacramento's premier independent music venue. This casual gathering will take place in their main room, providing an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow summit attendees while enjoying delicious food, refreshing drinks, and live music. Conveniently located near the Sofia Theater and the summit hotel, it's the perfect way to relax and mingle before an exhilarating day at the CA Arts & Culture Summit. Don't miss out on the chance to network with fellow arts champions and kick off the summit with good company and great vibes! All are welcome, even if you are not attending the summit.

Day 2: Advocacy Day at the Capitol

Rally and Legislator Meetings
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024 | 9am-5pm |
Location: California State Capitol Park
FREE - Register Here

Advocacy Day Sponsor: Claremont Graduate University

Summit attendees are encouraged to make this a two-day event and join us on Wednesday, April 17, for Arts Advocacy Day. Join fellow advocates at the Capitol for a rally and press event to kick off a day of meetings with your state legislators. This is an important opportunity for arts leaders to educate, advocate, and build relationships with their representatives during state budget negotiations. For more information visit our April is Advocacy Month webpage, or email Tracy Hudak at tracy@caforthearts.org 

Hotel Information

Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel Discounted rates for 4/14 - 4/17 no longer available.

Other hotels in the area:
Click on Check Availability for alternative accommodations
Fort Sutter Hotel
Hyatt Centric Downtown Sacramento

Sponsorship Opportunities

Summit sponsors are our vital partners in elevating the visibility and impact of Arts, Culture & Creativity Month (ACCM), developing and activating arts advocates, and educating the public and elected officials on the value that arts, culture and creative workers create in our state. With direct reach to over 20,000 engaged arts advocates in the State and networks to hundreds of thousands of arts organizations, creative businesses, arts workers, cultural bearers, elected officials, funders and arts patrons– your sponsorship puts you in front of committed and influential arts, culture and creative industries leaders. For more information on sponsorship opportunities please contact: nefesha@caforthearts.org

Sponsorship Package
Sponsorship Interest Form
Sponsorship Payment Form

Underwrite Scholarships

**Summit scholarship applications are now closed. Recipients have been awarded.

 Limited scholarships have been awarded to attend the 2024 CA Arts & Culture Summit in Sacramento on April 16, 2024. For questions, email Jennica Bisbee at jennica@caforthearts.org.

Additional Resource:
California Center for Cultural Innovation offers Quick Grants, which awards reimbursement funds up to $600 to California artists, creatives, cultural practitioners, and cultural producers, and San Francisco/San Jose nonprofit arts administrators to participate in professional development activities that build administrative capacity, hone business skills, and strengthen the financial sustainability of the grantee's practice, area of cultural production, or arts organization. Learn more here: https://www.cciarts.org/quick_grant.htm

Thank You to our Sponsors!